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“no industry has so resolutely excluded women from positions of influence for so long”
Ann B. Matasar ‘Women of Wine: The Rise of Women in the Global Wine Industry’
Of course women make wine, and great wine at that. This in itself this should not be newsworthy.
But throughout history, the world of wine has been, and continues to be a male-dominated arena.
From the classical world of the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans through to the present day, women have been excluded, overlooked, discouraged, and even oppressed, not just from embarking on a career in wine, but for simply enjoying wine. Wealthy Ancient Egyptian males were buried with wine in their tombs for them to indulge in the afterlife, the wealthier they were the more wine was entombed for them to enjoy. Women were not permitted such luxury for fear of ‘inappropriate’ behaviour. And it was the Ancient Greeks who were the first to establish male-only drinking clubs or ‘symposia’; with females only in attendance to serve or offer other services… Meanwhile in Roman Times if a woman was suspected of drinking she could be sentenced to death should a man taste alcohol on her lips.
Scientific studies suggest women are better at wine tasting than men and yet today only 28% of the worlds winemakers are women and less than 8% of senior UK wine-trade executives are women, the irony has not gone unnoticed. Not just in terms of gender but socio-economically, racially, geographically, the world of wine is not diverse and does not reflect the make-up of society, or the wine drinkers of the world.
Slowly, and against all the odds, the landscape is changing and in this selection of wine we pay homage to some of the talented women at the forefront of today’s wine industry, making world-class wines, participating or leading in the ever-evolving and fast changing world of wine.
This is a celebration of Women in Wine.
*Talented*Inspirational*Influential*Strong*
For each purchase of a Remarkable Women In Wine Case we will make a donation to Refuge via Work for Good.
Refuge is committed to a world where domestic violence and violence against women and girls is not tolerated and where women and children can live in safety.
They aim to empower women and children to rebuild their lives, free from violence and fear. Refuge provide a range of life-saving and life-changing services, and a voice for the voiceless.